Duterte names 19 members of committee tasked to review Constitution

January 25, 2018

President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed 19 members of the consultative committee tasked to review the 1987 Constitution.

Duterte signed their appointment papers on January 24 with former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno as chairman of the committee.

Duterte's appointees include former senator, Supreme Court justices, lawyers, businessman, academics, former politicians and Muslims.

Former Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr., father of Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, and former Supreme Court Associate Justices Bienvenido Reyes and Antonio Eduardo Nachura were appointed members.

Also named members were Father Ranhilio Callangan Aquino, former dean of San Beda Graduate School of Law; Victor De La Serna, Virgilio Castillo Bautista, Rodolfo Dia Robles, Julio Cabral Teehankee, Eddie Mapag Alih, Edmund Soriano Tayao, Ali Pangalian Balindong, Laurence Wacnang, Roan Libarios, Reuben Rabe Canoy, Arthur Aguilar, Susan Ubalde-Ordinario, and Antonio Binas Arellano, Randolph Climaco Parcasio.

On Dec. 7, 2016, Duterte signed Executive Order No. 10 creating the 25-member Consultative Committee.

Duterte's appointment of the 19 members came as the Senate and the House of Representatives have been pushing for constitutional amendments that will pave the way for a federal form of government. Celerina Monte/DMS